Method and system for inserting a data object into a computer-generated document using a text instruction

Abstract

For inserting a data object as for example a mathematical formula or special characters like Greek characters into a text document, instruction symbols representing the data object are inputted in the form of text characters into the text document. A text portion containing instruction symbols is selected, and the instruction symbols contained in the selected text portion are converted into a data object represented by the instruction symbols. The invention allows rapid input of data objects into the text document, in particular simple mathematical formulae or single special characters without entering a formula editor or the like.

1. A method of a user interactively inserting a formula into a computer-generated document without using an equation editor by said user comprising:
 receiving text interactively entered, by said user, into said computer-generated document;  
 receiving an interactively selected portion of said text that was highlighted by said user, said user selected text portion including at least one text instruction symbol and at least one text character, which is not included in said text instruction symbol, wherein said user selected text portion represents a formula;  
 converting said user-selected text into a data object representing said formula, wherein said data object comprises said formula and further wherein said at least one text character which is not included in said text instruction symbol remains unchanged during the converting; and  
 returning said data object insertion into said computer-generated document.  
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the formula comprises a mathematical formula. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the data object comprises at least one Greek character. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 inserting the returned data object into the computer-generated document at a position of the user selected text portion.  
 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4  wherein content surrounding the data object has a format, and said method further comprises formatting the returned data object using said format. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing the data object with the computer-generated document. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the data object is reconvertible into the text portion representing the data object. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1  wherein said method is downloaded. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1  wherein said method is stored on a first computer system and said computer-generated document is stored on a second computer system. 
   
   
     10. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium for inserting a data object into a computer-generated document, the computer program product comprising program code for a method of a user interactively inserting a formula into a computer-generated document without using an equation editor by said user, said method comprising:
 receiving text interactively entered, by said user, into said computer-generated document;  
 receiving an interactively selected portion of said text that was highlighted by said user, said user-selected text portion including at least one text instruction symbol and at least one text character, which is not included in said text instruction symbol, wherein said user selected text portion represents a formula;  
 converting said user-selected text into a data object representing said formula, wherein said data object comprises said formula and further wherein said at least one text character which is not included in said text instruction symbol remains unchanged during the converting; and  
 returning said data object insertion into said computer-generated document.  
 
   
   
     11. The computer program product of  claim 10  wherein the formula comprises a mathematical formula. 
   
   
     12. The computer program product of  claim 10  wherein the data object comprises at least one Greek character. 
   
   
     13. The computer program product of  claim 10  further comprising computer code for:
 inserting the returned data object into the computer-generated document at a position of the user selected text portion.  
 
   
   
     14. The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein content surrounding the data object has a format, and said computer program product further comprises formatting the returned data object using said format. 
   
   
     15. The computer program product of  claim 10  further comprising storing the data object with the computer-generated document. 
   
   
     16. The computer program product of  claim 10  wherein the data object is reconvertible into the text portion representing the data object. 
   
   
     17. A computer system comprising:
 a processor; and  
 a memory, coupled to said processor, storing instructions for a method of a user interactively inserting a formula into a computer-generated document without using an equation editor by said user, where upon execution of said instructions on said processor, said method comprises:  
 receiving text interactively entered, by said user, into said computer-generated document;  
 receiving an interactively selected portion of said text that was highlighted by said user, said user selected text portion including at least one text instruction symbol and at least one text character, which is not included in said text instruction symbol, wherein said user selected text portion represents a formula;  
 converting said user-selected text into a data object representing said formula, wherein said data object comprises said formula and further wherein said at least one text character which is not included in said text instruction symbol remains unchanged during the converting; and  
 returning said data object insertion into said computer-generated document.  
 
   
   
     18. The computer system of  claim 17  wherein said memory is coupled to said processor by a network.